Conservative or Liberal, Deist or Pagan, Jersey transplant or Lehigh Valley native, we're all in this mess together. Let's talk. Let us do no harm. Today's one-liner: "The shortest way to the distinguishing excellence of any writer is through his hostile critics." Richard LeGallienne

About Me

Wednesday, September 09, 2015

Try Opinions Online

Opinions Online is now a regular Saturday feature. If you'd like to express your opinion on any topic, click on the Opinions Online button on my left sidebar. You can also call 385-325-2564. In addition to these submissions, I am taking some comments from throughout the week and re-publishing them here. My idea for this comes from a Central Pa. newspaper, where it is popular enough to have some urging it be banned. Whether it reaches this level here depends on you. So far this week, I have just two comments. No one has tried the phone.

According to LV Live, tonight the ASD board is set to vote on a decade-long exclusive beverage contract with Coca-Cola that includes payments and donations to the district. The deal would make Coke the sole provider of any beverages sold or distributed by the district.

In exchange, Coke has agreed to donate a 48" by 340" LED illuminated sign that will read Andre Reed Field, according to board documents. It will be hung in the northeast corner of the stadium near the old scoreboard.

In addition to the sign, Coke will pay the district $400 per year to buy sporting equipment, plus another $1500 annually.

Soft drinks and sugary juices are a key contributor to the epidemic of youth obesity. Will student access to these drinks increase as a result of the proposed deal? Will unhealthy habits be formed at young ages? Is ASD harming student health in exchange for a stadium sign and $1900 per year? I hope the school board will carefully examine these questions and nix the deal if it involves any hint of increased access to unhealthy beverages for ASD students.

Canary: It is my understanding that Lehigh Valley Coca Cola will use the profits left over from the scoreboard sign to hire big thugs to shake the change out of students who attempt to deny Coke the chance to get any money that might go to other vendors, like Pepsi/FritoLay, Mars. Hershey, and Nabisco.